Member of Parliament for Ejura-Sekyedumase constituency in the Ashanti region, Alhaji Muhammed Bawah Braima, has called on the leadership of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the constituency to as a matter of urgency, call their supporters to order for the restoration of the school feeding programme in some basic schools in the area.
Speaking to the media, the MP for Ejura Sekyedumase said that the school feeding programme in the Municipality has since January 12, 2017 been suspended hinting that some youth who claim to be NPP supporters, have been the force behind the suspension.
Speaking to the media, the MP for the Ejura Sekyedumase constituency said that the school feeding program, which was initiated by the erstwhile Kufuor administration, was to enforce the retention, attendance and enrollment of pupils in public basic schools across the country.
He complained that the suspension had foiled the purpose of the school feeding programme aimed at poverty reduction and academic growth in the constituency.
“As at January 2017, a number of about fourteen thousand seven hundred and eighty two pupils in thirty three schools were being fed. It is clear from all indications that the programme has helped retained pupils in schools and also boosted enrollment and must not be intercepted at this stage”, he noted
He stated that due to the comfortable environment and free feeding school pupils enjoyed, academic performance in the constituency in the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) had risen from forty seven percent to ninety nine percent adding that pupils in many schools who benefit from this intervention were doing regular with regards to attendance.
He however, averred that the suspension of the school feeding programme in the constituency after the December polls has affected the academic performance of pupils.
“The caterers in charge of the programme in the various schools have gone through a lot straining from these NPP supporters. I was told that food which were being cooked, were thrown away by these supporters whiles the school pupils watched and cried”, he revealed.
“The caterers are working on a contract base so if you want to abrogate the contract, do so and appoint new caterers and allow the children to be feed”, he added.
Alhaji Muhammed Bawah Braimah, stated that the school feeding programme was initiated purposely for basic schools in the rural areas of which Ejura Sekyedumase was part adding that it was not rightful that school children there, be denied the programme.
He therefore called on the leadership of the NPP in the Ejura Sekyedumase constituency to call their supporters to order adding that the politicization of the programme had the potential of subverting the effective delivery of the programme at the expense of quality education in the area.
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